Sabbath School Today, Volume 9 - Paul E. Penno

Chapter 44
The Experience of Unity in the Early Church
During this quarter, millions of Christians around the world are giving
special study to unity within the church. We're studying what the Bible
speaks of as unity within the church. Christ prayed for it (John 17:20, 21).
Paul said that Christ's agape love will produce it (Eph. 4:13-16). The very
doctrine of God demands it (vss. 2-6). But we have to face reality: churches
often have disagreements and divisions, even within one denomination and
even within one church body.
In a church that has for 150 years stood for creation in 6 days, a literal
reading of Genesis 1, 2, etc., there are now powerful voices advocating
evolution. And there are divisions about women's ordination, about music in
church worship services, etc. And for many, "the blessed hope" of the soon
second coming of Christ is receding into the background, and a materialistic
earthly millennium is taking its place.
Why does disunion seem to flourish so? And how can the church
enlighten the earth with glory if it is in a divided state? And what can bring
the true unity Christ prayed for? There is a solution.
If God is real and if His Bible is true, it follows that God has a solution
for the problem of disunity.
God will bring His people into unity. That which to doubters today
seems impossible, the Holy Spirit will accomplish.
He brought the disunited eleven apostles into unity before the Day of
Pentecost. They were "with one accord in one place" (Acts 2:1). That was
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